Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa House Bill HF2699

Introduced
2/23/26  

Caption

A bill for an act relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 676.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

Impact

The removal of provisions allowing innovation zone schools marks a significant shift in the state's education policy, indicating a move towards consolidating charter school operations under the existing framework rather than expanding new school types. This change streamlines the administration and oversight by placing the responsibility for charter school contracts solely on the state board of education. The restructuring ensures that charter schools are directly integrated within the broader educational policies and provisions of major educational frameworks, leading to more uniformity in educational governance.

Summary

House File 2699 focuses on the modifications related to charter schools and the elimination of innovation zone schools in Iowa. The bill primarily addresses the funding structure and operational provisions of charter schools, revising the charter school contract duration to five years from four, and mandates that contracts incorporate performance frameworks aimed at evaluating charter school efficacy. In addition, it centralizes responsibility for student participation in extracurricular activities, allowing charter school students better access to resources offered by public schools.

Contention

Opponents of this bill may express concerns that the control exerted by the state board over charter schools restricts local autonomy and innovative approaches to education that innovation zone schools aimed to foster. The centralization of educational governance could provoke debate around whether it diminishes the flexibility that charter schools need to implement tailored learning experiences. Additionally, stakeholders may discuss the implications of performance measures on charter schools' operational independence and the potential impact on enrollment, teacher contracts, and curriculum programming.

Companion Bills

IA SF2406

Similar To A bill for an act relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 3170.)

IA HSB676

Related A bill for an act relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.(See HF 2699.)

IA SSB3170

Related A bill for an act relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.(See SF 2406.)

Previously Filed As

IA SF2406

A bill for an act relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 3170.)

IA HSB676

A bill for an act relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.(See HF 2699.)

IA SSB3170

A bill for an act relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.(See SF 2406.)

IA HF2486

A bill for an act relating to student dress code policies of public schools, charter schools, and innovation school zones, and including applicability provisions.(Formerly HSB 681.)

IA HF212

A bill for an act relating to meals, food, and beverages provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions.(Formerly HSB 5.)

IA HSB681

A bill for an act relating to student dress code policies of public schools, charter schools, and innovation school zones, and including applicability provisions.(See HF 2486.)

IA SF2328

A bill for an act relating to school lunch programs provided by school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

IA SF58

A bill for an act relating to school lunch and breakfast programs provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

IA HF2754

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to charter school approval, contracts, funding, and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, the Iowa public employees' retirement system, education savings accounts, independent accreditation, teacher training and licensure, the statewide voluntary preschool program, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, open enrollment, school tuition organizations, private instruction, and innovation zone schools; making appropriations; and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly HF 2713, HSB 735.) Effective date: 05/12/2026. Applicability date: 07/01/2026.

IA SF2501

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to charter school approval, contracts, funding, and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, the Iowa public employees' retirement system, education savings accounts, independent accreditation, teacher training and licensure, the statewide voluntary preschool program, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, open enrollment, school tuition organizations, and innovation zone schools; making appropriations; and including effective date and applicability provisions.(Formerly SF 2425, SF 2175.)

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.